For us, it has always been important to proof, or to use a term more appropriate for today’s political climate, fact check research results. Particularly those used in marketing.

One would think that a research proofing strategy proposed 15 years ago—before Gen AI was a twinkle almost everyone’s eye—might be out of date. So we put our ancient protocol, defined here in 2010 (SHOPPING BETTER THAN SEX? RESEARCH PROVES IT.), to work on a research result that caught my eye recently:

“

80% Of Gen Zers Would Marry An AI: Study”

– John Koetsier, forbes.com, April 29, 2025  [1].

 

Those Three Ancient Research Proofing Steps

For those who can’t be cajoled or tricked into reading a previous Marketing Wilderness post:

  1. Check for research sponsor bias.
  2. Look at methodology, paying particular attention to the sample size and sample definition.
  3. Use your instincts to make sure the research results are free from basic flaws in deduction and that the causal link makes sense. Correlation does not mean causation.

Step 1

The provider of the research results in question is an online dating service, matching users with virtual females [2]. This isn’t research, it’s marketing.

Step 2

No methodology is publicly available except that the sample size of 2,000. Likely 2,000 male Joi AI subscribers.

Step 3

Never mind. You had me at Step 1.

What’s with Forbes?

We consider it the responsibility of traditional (linear?) media to vet its contributors and their content. Not so much that it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes you better than most digital media. To be fair, the author does allow at the mid-article point, “Take the results with a grain of salt, of course: Joi AI benefits when more humans have relationships with AI.” Then he carries on explaining the result. As it’s passed along online, the headline is presented outside of this context.

There is also the possibility that new ownership in 2023 [3] has resulted in a new editorial mandate, despite a Forbes family member remaining in the Chairman/Editor-in-Chief position.

Lessons for Marketers

  1. Our old-school research proofing protocol still works in the Age of AI. In fact, the use of it as presented here was enhanced by ChatGPT 3o.
  2. We should stop allowing ourselves to be click-baited by unsettling Gen Z headlines. As discussed here previously [4], demographically targeting Gen Z is not effective because they are so diverse. It’s not their fault. Let’s move on, shall we?end-of-post-symbol
Notes and references:
  1. John Koetsier,”80% Of Gen Zers Would Marry An AI: Study“, forbes.com, April 29, 2025.
  2. The Joi AI website.
  3. A GEN Z COMING-OF-AGE STORY.
  4. In 2023, Austin Russell, then a 28-year-old technology billionaire, acquired an 82% stake in Forbes Global Media Holdings, parent of the well-known business magazine. Russell is the CEO of Luminar Technologies Inc., which provides antonymous driving technology to the automotive industry.
  5. Photo credit: images from the 2013 movie ‘Her’, courtesy of Warner Bros Pictures, ©2013 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.